Back in March I wrote an article on the sameness that all architectural websites seem to have, read it here. The first line reads;
"All architectural practices need a website to attract clients, show off their work and to give them a public face in this modern world of ours, unless you're Herzog and de Meuron that is."
Well since then Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, who are evidently great readers of our blog, have taken my advice and decided they want a public face in this modern world, and today launched their new website. They have also heeded my warning and decided to ensure that they're website does not follow the same old template as every other architecture practices website.
The new Herzog and deMeuron website
And it's unlike any website I have ever visited before, instead of being shown a list of links to pages and a selection of the finest artsy photo I have been whisked back nineteen years to when computers ran on Windows 3.0.
When I click on a link instead of being taken to a new page a new window appears on the page, clicking on further links open further windows until I have 20+ windows open at once leaving me lost, an instinctive 'Windows Key+Tab' click sending my browser flying doesn't help matters much either. Fortunately, like all good operating systems, I just have to click the little cross in the top right corner and those windows disappear from view, once I only have a few windows open I can drag them around the screen and place them where I like.
I do get the feeling however, that this little designer gimic might get lost on the majority of people who do not appreciate 'ye olde' styling and will be upset at how backwards it looks and crave for something a little more flash.
I though, appreciate the gesture towards computing of old when processors had less power than your modern day garden ornament. I'm even more appreciative that finally there is an architects website that is a little more different. Congratulations Herzog and deMeuron.
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